1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method for controlling multiple camera lenses. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for use at a test range which controls camera lens functions in order to obtain optimal recordings of launch events at the test range.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Presently, the military finds it very difficult, if not impossible, to monitor and document the flight of a missile, a rocket or other high speed vehicle during the testing of the high speed vehicle at a test range. To monitor and document a test flight, an operator is required to adjust the focus, field of view, and exposure for an image during range operations. To document a missile or rocket launch the focus, field of view, and exposure is set at the beginning of the launch to record the launch of high speed vehicle from the launch pad.
As the vehicle moves further away from the cameras the focus, field of view, and exposure settings of their lenses are adjusted to provide as accurate of a recording as possible given the constraints of an operator adjusting each of these camera lens functions.
In one configuration a camera is mounted on a range telescope which uses a focus table requiring the operator to adjust calibration settings to keep the high speed vehicle in focus. While the focus table is computer controlled, range input is not provided to the computer, which is information the computer needs to adjust camera focus.
In a second configuration, a camera is mounted to a lens system capable of manual and computer control. As computer control is not available, manual control of the lens system is necessary to keep the high speed vehicle in focus and with the desired focal length and exposure settings. This problem is compounded when attempting to adjust more than one camera lens system at a time.